The Golden Compass

Good. It's just an interesting story with well-fleshed out characters. No more, no less.

According to some, an attack on Christianity. Really? Maybe these guys don't get to watch a lot of films ;)

I really enjoyed Philip Pullman's trilogy (Northern Lights / The Subtle Knife / The Amber Spyglass) and thought that Lyra was one of the best heroines ever - both in children's or adult fiction. There's no doubt that Philip Pullman is no fan of organised religion and this comes through in his writing. However, I can't help feeling that the people who rant and rave about the "anti-religious" stuff must not get out a lot. A bit like the people who thought that The Da Vinci Code was ground breaking truth / blasphemy / the meaning of the Universe.

Apart from teenagers (who latch on to anything, bless 'em), I just can't understand this kind of reaction. Do these people not read the newspapers or watch the news? In a world where people hack other people to death, fiction cannot compare with awful reality.

Sorry - back to the film review. Yep it was good. Mr K-E and I are big fans of Lyra and Pantalaimon in the books and we were not disappointed by the film. I was surprised when it finished though, as it ends before the close of the first book. Mrs Coulter (and her golden monkey) are as horrible as they are in the books.

Definitely recommended. Just don't take things too seriously.

Transformers

Very good. Action all the way with no boring bits. Autobots roll out!

We went to see this on Sunday night and really enjoyed it. My younger brother had some of the transformer toys the first time around and I remember the cartoon series.

I had read lots of nice things about this movie but I was still pleasantly surprised to find out that it was very good. Great effects, good use of of humour and likeable cast. OK, the storyline is not the best in the world but let's face it, you are watching a movie about robots who can turn into everyday vehicles and stereo systems. I think you have you suspend your disbelief in this case!

Mr K-E and I loved every minute of it.


Mr K-E's favourite bit : When the truck-sized robots are trying to "hide" in the garden. Also the high-speed transformation scenes.

My favourite bit : I like the yellow Camaro. He's the best transformer.

Die Hard 4.0

Overall verdict : Oh this movie was sooo good! Pow! Pow! Pow!

I've watched the other Die Hard movies but they were all unmemorable really. Was the first one in an office block during the Christmas holidays? With a stereotypical European villain?

On other hand 4.0 was so good that Mr K-E and I were still excited about it after we left the cinema, discussing our favourite bits on the bus ride home. I was still hyped up and talking about it at breakfast time. Obviously there's not a lot of excitement in my life.

I love action movies - high speed car chases, evil henchmen, hot kung-fu fighting women, ludicrous government plots .... the sillier the better. The only problem is that these movies sometimes drag when the action is not "on". For example, the Mexico sequence in the middle of Terminator 2, which is has some of my favourite action scenes. When the terminator and gang head out to Mexico for some bonding and character development, that's my cue to lie down on the sofa and doze off.

Happily, that's not the case in this movie. You hardly have time to catch your breath; there's no lame character development and Bruce Willis can still do the business. Watch this movie.

My favourite bit: After Bruce Willis is beaten up by the evil Asian woman and he says enough of this kung fu shit, or something like that. Yeah!

Mr K-E's favourite bit: The hamster man.

Run if you see Arnie.

British Skynet satellite launched

The British military's Skynet 5A satellite has been launched into space from Kourou in French Guiana.

The spacecraft is part of a £3.2bn system that will deliver secure, high-bandwidth communications for UK and allied forces.

Holy cow! Look what I read on the BBC website!

Skynet? As every movie fan knows, SKYNET is the military computer system that becomes self-aware and leads to the nuclear holocaust in the Teminator movies. Anyone who isn't a movie fan can read about it here.

But... but... there is actually a military satellite system called SKYNET? OMG! I had better start stockpiling tinned food and Evian now.

Night at the Museum

We went into Leicester Square on the bus to watch Night at the Museum with Ben Stiller. It was packed full of "stars" i.e. Ricky Gervaise, Robin Williams, Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan, Dick Van Dyke, Mickey Rooney and some guy called Bill Cobbs. I thought it was Bill Cosby but Mr K-E soon put me right. The cinema was full of kids, who squealed with laughter when the monkey peed on Ben Stiller. Why do all kids (and some adults eg Mr K-E) love bathroom humour?

Overall Review: Fun and entertaining. Good for kids and adults who want an easy laugh. A bit over-sentimental but nothing to make you feel sick. Ben Stiller plays the same role he played in Meet the Parents. Ricky Gervaise repeats his David Brent role from the office, which is presumably for the adults. Robin Williams doesn't do anything new, but thankfully doesn't take over the movie either.
Score: 8 out of 10
Katie-Ella's highlight: Ben Stiller's Ex's new boyfriend who has an array of electronic devices strapped to his belt - phone, blackberry etc. He also appears later with one of those ridiculous mobile phone thingies in his ear.
Mr K-E's highlight: Ben Stiller.


Before the movie we had lunch at a Japanese restaurant in Chinatown. The food was OK, but the waiters were all suspiciously Chinese. Hmmm. Can't remember the name of the restaurant but it was next to See-Woo supermarket.

Then I went to Reiss in Covent Garden and spent ages in there trying on clothes. It seemed everytime I wanted to leave I would see something else...oh...I should just quickly try this on...while I'm here. Patient Mr K-E held on to my coat, handbag and various items of clothing while I shopped. Reiss is nice. Especially when it's on sale.

I need to keep away from the shops. Stop spending money Katie-Ella.

We are steadily eating our way through the chocolates we got for Christmas. We have finished the chocolate coins and reindeer, so now its on to a box of Godiva chocolates from my sister. Yummy. (Mr K-E says he can't face any more chocolate today. What a hard life.)

Out and about

Leaving Mr K-E to his well-deserved hangover, I headed out to Bayswater this morning to meet my Aunt for lunch. We met at the "horse fountain" in Whiteleys before heading to Royal China for dim sum. Whiteleys is a large shopping centre with a cinema located in Bayswater. I like Whiteleys because it brings back lots of happy memories of childhood holidays and my carefree university days. It also has an interesting history - the first department store in Britain, the equivalent of Harrods or Selfridges but now divided into individual shops and restaurant.

The only problem with Bayswater is that it is infested with other Bruneians and you are bound to bump into someone that you would rather avoid. Yep, during lunch I spotted some people we were distantly related to but luckily I think they didn't recognise me, so I didn't have to do the whole "meet and greet" thing. Or maybe they did recognise me, and right now they are texting all our family members back in Brunei telling them how rude and snobby I am.

After lunch (restaurant review: OK but nothing to blog about), we got the 94 bus to Piccadilly Circus and walked around Chinatown and Leicester Square. Mr K-E turned up around 4:30, just before my Aunt had to leave to go to mass.

We decided to see Casino Royal while we were in town.



Review: Daniel Craig is burning hot! Action and fight scenes are good. Plot is imprenetrable, but you don't have to understand the plot to enjoy the movie.
Overall score: 8/10, good.
Mr K-E's highlight: The free-running stunts in the beginning, which are based on parkour moves.
Katie-Ella's highlight: Daniel Craig's incredible body. My tongue was hanging out.















He is actually a bit ugly, but no-one is looking at his face :P